July 17, 2020

In this episode, I speak with Sonya Childress, Senior Fellow at the Perspective Fund, about her pioneering work in the field of documentary and impact. Because in all her work, she centers People of Color and Blackness, in particular, this week’s song is the New Rotary Connection’s classic, “I Am the Black Gold of the Sun.”

Sonya’s Bio

[Image description: Sonya Childress smiles. She wears a multi-colored top.]

Sonya Childress has positioned film as a tool to shift narratives and support social justice movement building for two decades. Sonya currently serves as a Senior Fellow with the Perspective Fund, a philanthropic resource for documentary film and impact campaigns, where she conducts field-building research, writing, and convenings. A veteran cultural strategist, Sonya served as the Director of Partnerships and Engagement for Firelight Media, where she led impact campaigns for veteran director Stanley Nelson’s films, including Freedom Summer, Freedom Riders, Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities, and The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution. She has advised countless filmmakers on their impact strategies, including Yance Ford (Strong Island). Peter Bratt (Dolores), Steve James (The Interrupters), Cristina Ibarra & Alex Rivera (The Infiltrators), Byron Hurt (Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes) and Jeff Zimbalist (Favela Rising). Sonya has worked with Active Voice, California Newsreel, Kartemquin Films, ITVS, and Working Films. She founded the Impact Producer Fellowship, a mentorship program for impact producers of color. She is a trustee of The Whitman Institute, a private foundation that champions Trust-Based Philanthropy. Sonya resides in Los Angeles, California with her two children.

WuWD Episode 4 - Sonya Childress Transcript

About the Perspective Fund

The Perspective Fund is a grant-making organization that supports impact-driven media, storytellers and organizations who are focused on forging positive social change. Impact is at the center of our work because we know exactly how powerful this kind of storytelling can be. Perspective Fund will continue to partner with ambitious organizations and risk-taking creators to further our values of equity, justice, and universal human rights.